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PA G E 2 PA G E 4 PAG E 6 PA G E 7
From the President's Desk
PA G E 3
HUTstonlWright Writers Week
PAG E 5
Series to Focus on Philosophy,
Religion and Public Poliey
VCU Students Elected
Researcher Links Genes
to Mild Alcoholism
Volunteer Tax Setvices to W/ws W/w
Undergraduate Medical Education PA G E 8
Campus Calendar
""m,"."" UniverCity News Vol. 27 No. 11
""ii'.f4 ... ii.Jii.4-iBS;·""Miji'.'; ;';;J!i.iif.lli·";:i'iji'i;MIi'·"t.l~i;,i;;.Ii;';;;;;'.ii:,i;idiii'·'ii.t15" ·'li
University Breaks Ground
for Life Sciences Building
Facility to Define Campus at
Cary, Harrison Streets
by Kyra Scarton Newman
Uni versity News Serviees Ar'2R,1 million facility with state-of­the-
art laboratory and classroom
'pace will open up new research
and teaching opportunities at Virginia
Commonwealth University in the life
sciences. VCU officials and students hroke
ground for the new Life Sciences Build­ing
on Jan. 19 at the northwest comer of
Harrison and Cal)' streets.
The nearly 132,500-square-foot
building - a two-wing struchIre to open
in summer 2001 - represents a critical
stage in the university's commitment to
enhance its undergraduate and graduate
programs in the life sciences. The new
building will replace the aging Life Sci­ences
Building, which was never designed
for science education.
mathematics, medicine, technology and
engineering, linking departments and
schools across the two campuses.
"The intersections of traditional dis­ciplines
are where we are discovering
answers and clues to
"This new research and teaching complex will
allow our faculty to broaden their areas of
research, with new equipment and appropriate
space for experimentation and collaboration,"
contemporary prob­lems,"
VCU President
Eugene P. Trani said.
"By creating an envi­ronment
where that
cross-discipline study
The new Life Sciences Building will
promote the cross-fertilization of both
research and teaching in areas such as
environmental studies, molecular biology
and phYSiology. The university's expand­ing
focus on life sciences blends science,
is nurtured and
encouraged, we can engage in research
that draws in a variety of perspectives and
expertise. Within that setting, we also can
best train the next generation to explore
the next frontiers."
See LIFE SCIENCES page 2
President Named
'Richmonder
of the Year' I n its Jan. 5 issue, Style Weekly named VCU
President Eugene P. Trani as the ~1998
Richmonder of the Year.» The award rec­ognizes
the president for what the newsweek·
1y calls uani-ViSion."
"Whether itS planning an impromptu trans­Atlantic
trip for a friend, an explosion of growth
on Broad Street ora new engineering school, the
fonnula is the same for Dr. Eugene P. Trani:
Dream it, then do it," the cover stol)' reads.
Virginia Commonwealth University's new Life Sciences Building will open for instruction and research in summer 2001.
A panel, comprised of area business and
community leaders, assists in the selection of
the "Riohmonder of the Year," initiated in 1985.
Reprints of the Jan. 5 article are available by
calling University News Services at 828--1231.
Virginia Commonwealth Uni­versity's
women's basketball team will host Old Domin'
ion University in a Jan. 29
Home
Team
match'up at the Franklin
Street Gym. The Colonial Ath·
letic Association game is
scheduled to be broadcast at
7 p.m. on tile cable network
Home Team Sports. Coach
David Glass, kneeling left, discusses game strategies with some of
the women's basketball players during a recent game break.
$2 Million Gift to Create
Autism Center of Virginia
Family Presents Donation
to VCU as Expression
of Love for Granddaughter
by Christine Shtogren
University News Services Ar an expression of love for
their granddaughter, who
uffers from autism, Alan
Kirshner and Flo Guzman have
given a $2 million gift to establish
the Autism Center ofVrrginia at VIr­ginia
Commonwealth University.
Guzman and Kirshner, chief
executive officer of Markel Corp.,
recognized a need in Central Vir-ginia
for a comprehensive program
to better serve children with
autism. The first phase of the cen­ter's
development will be to open a
day school for autistic children ages
3 tolD by summer. The school will
be a unique training site for VCU
undergraduate and graduate stu­dents
to learn about autism and
its treatments and to participate
in researching the disorder.
'The center's mission will have
the academic mission of the uni­versity
- service, teaching and
research," said Dr. Dean X.
Parmelee, chairman of child and
See AUTISM page 4

University Breaks Ground for Life Sciences Building, Facility to Define Campus at Cary, Harrison Streets -- President Named 'Richmonder of the Year' -- Home Team -- $2 Million Gift to Create Autism Center of Virginia

PA G E 2 PA G E 4 PAG E 6 PA G E 7
From the President's Desk
PA G E 3
HUTstonlWright Writers Week
PAG E 5
Series to Focus on Philosophy,
Religion and Public Poliey
VCU Students Elected
Researcher Links Genes
to Mild Alcoholism
Volunteer Tax Setvices to W/ws W/w
Undergraduate Medical Education PA G E 8
Campus Calendar
""m"."" UniverCity News Vol. 27 No. 11
""ii'.f4 ... ii.Jii.4-iBS;·""Miji'.'; ;';;J!i.iif.lli·";:i'iji'i;MIi'·"t.l~i;,i;;.Ii;';;;;;'.ii:,i;idiii'·'ii.t15" ·'li
University Breaks Ground
for Life Sciences Building
Facility to Define Campus at
Cary, Harrison Streets
by Kyra Scarton Newman
Uni versity News Serviees Ar'2R,1 million facility with state-of­the-
art laboratory and classroom
'pace will open up new research
and teaching opportunities at Virginia
Commonwealth University in the life
sciences. VCU officials and students hroke
ground for the new Life Sciences Build­ing
on Jan. 19 at the northwest comer of
Harrison and Cal)' streets.
The nearly 132,500-square-foot
building - a two-wing struchIre to open
in summer 2001 - represents a critical
stage in the university's commitment to
enhance its undergraduate and graduate
programs in the life sciences. The new
building will replace the aging Life Sci­ences
Building, which was never designed
for science education.
mathematics, medicine, technology and
engineering, linking departments and
schools across the two campuses.
"The intersections of traditional dis­ciplines
are where we are discovering
answers and clues to
"This new research and teaching complex will
allow our faculty to broaden their areas of
research, with new equipment and appropriate
space for experimentation and collaboration"
contemporary prob­lems"
VCU President
Eugene P. Trani said.
"By creating an envi­ronment
where that
cross-discipline study
The new Life Sciences Building will
promote the cross-fertilization of both
research and teaching in areas such as
environmental studies, molecular biology
and phYSiology. The university's expand­ing
focus on life sciences blends science,
is nurtured and
encouraged, we can engage in research
that draws in a variety of perspectives and
expertise. Within that setting, we also can
best train the next generation to explore
the next frontiers."
See LIFE SCIENCES page 2
President Named
'Richmonder
of the Year' I n its Jan. 5 issue, Style Weekly named VCU
President Eugene P. Trani as the ~1998
Richmonder of the Year.» The award rec­ognizes
the president for what the newsweek·
1y calls uani-ViSion."
"Whether itS planning an impromptu trans­Atlantic
trip for a friend, an explosion of growth
on Broad Street ora new engineering school, the
fonnula is the same for Dr. Eugene P. Trani:
Dream it, then do it" the cover stol)' reads.
Virginia Commonwealth University's new Life Sciences Building will open for instruction and research in summer 2001.
A panel, comprised of area business and
community leaders, assists in the selection of
the "Riohmonder of the Year" initiated in 1985.
Reprints of the Jan. 5 article are available by
calling University News Services at 828--1231.
Virginia Commonwealth Uni­versity's
women's basketball team will host Old Domin'
ion University in a Jan. 29
Home
Team
match'up at the Franklin
Street Gym. The Colonial Ath·
letic Association game is
scheduled to be broadcast at
7 p.m. on tile cable network
Home Team Sports. Coach
David Glass, kneeling left, discusses game strategies with some of
the women's basketball players during a recent game break.
$2 Million Gift to Create
Autism Center of Virginia
Family Presents Donation
to VCU as Expression
of Love for Granddaughter
by Christine Shtogren
University News Services Ar an expression of love for
their granddaughter, who
uffers from autism, Alan
Kirshner and Flo Guzman have
given a $2 million gift to establish
the Autism Center ofVrrginia at VIr­ginia
Commonwealth University.
Guzman and Kirshner, chief
executive officer of Markel Corp.,
recognized a need in Central Vir-ginia
for a comprehensive program
to better serve children with
autism. The first phase of the cen­ter's
development will be to open a
day school for autistic children ages
3 tolD by summer. The school will
be a unique training site for VCU
undergraduate and graduate stu­dents
to learn about autism and
its treatments and to participate
in researching the disorder.
'The center's mission will have
the academic mission of the uni­versity
- service, teaching and
research" said Dr. Dean X.
Parmelee, chairman of child and
See AUTISM page 4